Brake hanger bracket



Dec. 5, 1939. D. M. LIGHT l 2,182,746

BRAKE HANGER BRACKET Fild Deo. 4, 1957 t Patented Dec. 5, 1939 BRAKE HANGER. BRACKET David M. Light, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Ameri:- can Steel Foundries,` Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 4, 1937, Serial No. 178,059 16 Claims. (Ci. 18S-209) My invention relates to railway rolling stock and more particularly to a novel design of brake hanger bracket. As is well known, such brake hanger brackets are usually cast integrally with the side frame of the truck structure inasmuch as this member is in close proximity to the wheel and serves as a convenient means of support.

Present approved designs of open jaw brake hanger brackets have the jaws oi the bracket cast at an angle between ten and iifteen degrees from the horizontal. As a rule the top and bot, tom Walls are cast parallel and the slope of these walls leading into the pocket wherein the brake hanger is suspended is diagonally arranged as above indicated.

Under standard conditions with the brakes ap-r plied with new shoes and full diameter wheels, the brake hanger bracket is supported at an angle of between ten and iteen degrees from the vertical. In other words, under the said standard conditions with new parts and vthe brakes in operative or applied position, the brake hanger is substantially normal to the lower Wall of the jaw within which it is supported.

Since this is the case, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that as wheel wear occurs and as the brake shoe itself is worn down, the brake hanger swings fartherv and farther from the perpendicular as such wear takesplace. Under these conditions, an appli-` cation of the brake power causes a certain resultant of forces tending to pull the brake hanger out of the jaw in which it is supported when the wheels are turning in a direction to pull downwardly on the hanger.

On the other hand, when the wheels are` turning in the reverse direction so that there is an upward thrust on the hanger, the resultant of force is to direct the hanger into the pocket inasmuch as the hanger under such conditions of worn parts is disposed at an acute angle with respect to the plane of the top wall of the bracket against which it abuts on such upward thrusts. This latter movement of the hanger toward the closed end of the jaw under conditions of upward'thrust is of course desirable and it would likewise be desirable to have the resultant of force when the thrust is downward operate likewise to urge the hanger toward the closed end of the jaw.

Under such conditions as those above described wherein the hanger is under certain conditions urged inwardly of the jaw and under other conditions urged outwardly thereof, it is extremely,

diicult to retain said wear plate in the brake hanger jaw..l This is due to the fact that the back-and-forth movement of the hanger itself as above. described is transmitted to the wear plate and ultimately the wear plate is loosened or wears against its securing means. It is an` object of my invention to design a form of `brake hanger bracket which Will over-- come the diiculties above described.

,It is a further object of my invention to de? A sign a brake hanger bracket of such form that under conditions of normal operation neither the upward thrust nor the downward. thrust of the hanger will have a resultant of force tending to urge the hanger out. of. the jaw.

A further object of my invention is to design such a brake hanger bracket as above described and a wear plate therefor which will be relatively free of vibration and thereby reduce wear between the wear plate and the brake hanger Jaw.

Other novel features in my invention are set forth inv thefollowing specication and the appended claims together with the associated drawing.

Figure l is a. side elevation of a side frame incorporating my invention, the view being taken from the inner facev of said side frame;

AFigure 2 is a top plan view of the frame and bracket structure shown in Figure 1, the view being taken. substantially from the plane indicated by the line 2 2. of Figure 1;

Figure 3lv is a sectional view through the brake hanger jaw, the sectionv being taken substantially in the plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure ,4 is a top plan View of my novel iorm` of wear plate;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view through lthe wear plate substantially in' the plane indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and 4o Figure 6 is another transverse section through the 'wear plate, the section being taken substantiallyv in the plane indicated by the line 6 6 of Figure 4.

Describingy my novel form of brake hanger bracket in more detail as shown in the modification illustrated in the drawing, the cast steel side frame generally indicated at 2 has the compression member 4 and the integrally formed column 6. On the inner face of the side frame 2 and adjacent thejuncture of the compression member 4 and the column 6 is the integrally formed brake hanger bracket generally designated 8, the juncture of said bracket with said compression member being reinforced by the vertical web 9. The outer portion of said bracket 8 is a jaw-like structure having the top wall ID and the bottom wall l2 forming therebetween the throat i4 within which may be seated the top chord or transverse member i6 of the loop brake hanger I8 of usual form. Seated upon the bottom wall I2 is my novel form of wear plate generally indicated at 2E), said wear plate, shown in more detail in Figures4 to 6, being secured in position by the retaining bolt 22, the head 24 of said bolt being received Within the opening 26 and secured against rotation by engagement with the Walls of said opening. The Vshank of the bolt 22 projects through .the opening28 in the lower wall l2 and is secured inpo's'ition by the lock nuts 3S, 30. From a" consideration of Figures 1 and 3, it will be apparent that the head 24 of the bolt 22 passes freely through the opening 2G in the top wall of the brake hanger 1 jaw and is seated against the central stud 32V of `the wear plate as clearly shown l'at 34, 34, the shank of said bolt extending through the opening 36 centrally formed in said stud portion At the rear of my novel formofy wear plate 32. is formed the transverse channel 38 within which may be seated the cross bar or transverse member IG of the brake hanger I8. the-bottom surface of saidtransverse member l''b'eing cylindrical in form as best seen in'Figures l and 3, said cylindrical portion being formed on an arc of shorter radius than the channel portion 38 of the wear plate.

The bottom wall l2 of lmy novel form of brake hanger jaw is disposed at an angle from the horizontal indicated at X (Figure 1),`said angle being greater than twenty degrees and less than thirty degrees from the horizontal `for-a `purpose to be more fully explained hereafter. The outer portion of the top wall yl() off-said-ja'w is disposed at a similar angle, but the throat portion of said upper wall is of novel-form and `that portion immediately above the transverse'member I6 isl of arcuate form to provide abutment for Vsaid transverse member I6 as at all (Figure 3) It will be observed that the abutment at 40 vof the-cross bar I6 of the hanger is disposed at such an angle that there can be no resultant of 'force tending to move the hanger out of the jaw when upward thrusts of the hanger occur as in normal operation. In other words the extreme forward end portion of the upper surface of said throat lies in a plane tangent to said end portionand form-1 ing an acute angle with the axis A--B'f and said plane as indicated at M-N (FigureV 1) extends f through the open end of said jaw between'the top and bottom walls thereof. The said forward portion may lie in any plane forming an acute angle with the plane of said4 hanger with the brakes applied.

As shown in Figures l1 and 3, the hanger I8 is disposed at the angle which it normally would assume if the brakes were applied with new brake shoes and new wheels as represented by4 the axis AB. Under conditions of maximum wear, both of the brake shoes and of the wheel and with the brakes applied, the hanger f would assume the position indicated by the axis A'C. :With `the brakes released, the hanger under either of these conditions might assume theposition -indicated by the vertical axis A-D. y It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that 'upward thrust of the brake hanger can occur only when the hanger is in a position between the axes A-B and A-C because these represent the extremes of the possible hangerpositions ,when the brakes; are-ap plied, and upward thrust can only occur with the brakes applied and the wheel rotating in a given direction. With the wheel rotating in the opposite direction of course there is a downward pull on the hanger. It is necessary, therefore, that the configuration of the throat of the upper jaw where abutment of the hanger occurs as at G be such that no resultant of force outwardly of 'the jaw can occur when upward thrust is received from the hanger in any position between the axes A-B and AC. Inasmuch as the axis A-C is normal to the plane of the lower wall i2, the angling of this axis from the perpendicular is substantially twenty-five degrees as the angle of said wall l2 is similarly substantially twentyve degrees from the horizontal as indicated by the arc X. Stated in another way, the normal position of the hanger with new shoes and wheels is indicated by the axis A-B, approximately fourteen degrees from the vertical as indicated by the axis A-D, the maximum range of the hangers positions with the brakes applied is represented by the arc measured between the axes A-B and A-C, an arc of approximately eleven degrees. It is, therefore, necessary for the lower wall l2 of the brake hanger to assume an angularity from the horizontal at least equal to the sum of fourteen degrees plus eleven degrees or twentyve` degrees in order to prevent a resultant of force tending to move the hanger out of the `iaw under any possible operative conditions. At the same time the configuration of the upper throat of the jaw must be such as to prevent any resultant of force tending to move the hanger out of the jaw when the thrust is upward as previously described. I have accomplished this by making the upper throat of the jaw of arcuate form and having the forward portion of said upper surface lying in the downwardly directed plane N-M as previously described.

In addition to the side elevation of Figure l and the sectional View of Figure 3, my novel form of wear plate 20 is further shown in Figures 4 to 6, said wear plate comprising the bottom wall 42 at the outer edge of which is formed the down turned flange 44. After the parts have been assembled, the flange 44 may be peened over as indicated at 46 (Figure 1) in order to take up any slack between the assembled parts resulting from the necessary tolerances of manufacture. Centrally formed on the bottom wall 42 is the upstanding cylindrical lug 32 merging centrally of the wear plate with the transverse flange 48 which extends across the width of the wear plate to form one side of the heretofore mentioned channel38. The bolt opening 36 provides a passageway for the securing means as previously described. At the inner extremity of the wear plate is the up-turned ange 50, the bottom surface of which is complementary in form to the bottom throat of the jaw as indicated at 52 (Figures 1 and 3).

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a railway car truck, a frame member having a bracket with a brake hanger jaw defined by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, a loop hanger seated in said throat, the top surface of said throat having an arcuate form for havinga bracket with a brake hangerjaw dened' abutment of the top member of said hanger, the

forward portion of said surface lying in a planeextending through the open end of said'jaw Abelow said top wall, and a wear plate secured on said i bottom wall,.said wear plate having an up-turned flange at its inner end defining one'edgel of Aa channel portion underlying said member and having at its outer end a down-turned flange for by top and bottom walls y,mergingin a throat,`

a loop hanger seated in said throat, the topy surface of said throat having an area for abutment of the top member of said hanger, the forward portion of said area lying in' a plane extending through the openend of said-.jaw below said top wall, and a wear plate secured on said bottom wall, said wear plate having an up-turned ilange at its inner end defining one edge of a channel portion underlying said member and having at its outer end a down-turned flange for abutment against the outer extremity of said bottom wall.

3. A brake hanger bracket having an angularly disposed jaw defined by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, aA wear plate secured on said bottom wall, and a loop type hanger seated on said plate in said throat, said bottom wall being disposed at an angle diverging from Hlthe horizontal an amount at least equal to the maximum angle said hanger may diverge from the perpendicular under operating conditions,

`the upper surface of said throat having an area for abutment of the top member of said hanger on upward thrust thereof, the extreme forward portion of said area lying in a. plane extending through the open end of said jaw below said top wall.

4. In a railway car truck, a frame member having a brake hanger bracket with an angularly disposed jaw defined by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, av loop type brake hanger having its upper member seated in said throat,

the top surface of said 'throat having an area for abutment of said member on upward thrust thereof, the extreme forward portion of said area lying in a plane forming an acute angle with the plane of said hanger when the brakes are applied, a wear plate seated on said lower wall and having a channel portion underlying said member, and means securing said plate in position on said lower wall, said means beingsecured against rotation by engagement with said upper wall.

5. In-a railway truck, a frame member having `a bracket with an angularly disposed brake hanger jaw defined by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, a wear plate seated on said bottom wall, aligned openings in said walls and in said wear plate7 means in said aligned openings securing said wear plate on said bottom wall, said means bein(T secured against rotation by cooperation with the aperture in said top wall, and a loop brake hanger having a top member seated on said plate in said throat, the upper surface of said throat having an arcuate form for abutment of said member, and the forward portion of said surface lying in a plane extending through the open end of said jaw below said top wall.

6. In a railway car truck, a frame member byy top and Vbottom walls mergingin a throat, a wear plate secured on said bottom wall 'and having a channel at the inner end thereof, and afbrake hanger having its top member seated in said channel within the said `throat,the top sur-il face of said throat having an arcuate form and the. forward portion of said surface lying in a plane extending through the open end of said jaw below said top wall, said bottom wall lying in-a plane diverging from the horizontal through an arc at least equal to the maximum arc which said hanger swings from the perpendicular under operative conditions.

7. In a railway car, a frame member, an integral brake hanger bracket having an angularly' disposed jaw with open sides and an open end, said'jaw having top and bottom walls merging in a throat'portion, `a wear plate secured to said bottom jaw, and a hanger seated on said plate in said throat portion, the upper surface of said throat portion having an area for abutment of the top member of said hanger and the lower wall of said jaw being disposed at an angle' varying from the horizontal aniamount equal to or `greater than the maximum angle at which said hanger may vary from the perpendicular under operative conditions, the extreme forward portion of said area lying in a plane forming an acute angle with a vertical plane.

8. In a railway car truck, a frame member having a bracket with a brake hanger jaw defined by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, and a loop hanger seated in said throat, the top surface of said throat having an area for abutment of the top member of said hanger, the forward portion of said area lying in a plane forming an acute angle with the plane of said hanger when said brakes' are applied, and a wear plate secured on said bottom wall and affording an arcute seat at its inner end for said hanger and closure means for said jaw at its outer end.

9. In a railway car truck, a frame member having a bracket with a brake hanger jaw defined by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, a loop hanger seated in said throat, the top surface of said throat having an arcuateform for abutment of the top member of said hanger, the forward portion of said surface lying in a plane forming an acute anglewith the vertical Aand extending through the open end of said jaw,

throat, the top surface of said throat having an arcuate form and the forward portion of said surface lying in a plane intersecting the horizontal plane defined by the axis of said chord outwardly of said throat.

1l. A brake hanger bracket having a jaw defined by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, a hanger seated in said throat, said bottom wall diverging from the horizontal through an arc at least equal to the maximum arc which said hanger may swing from the perpendicular under operative conditions, the upper surface of said throat having an arcuate formation for abutment of said member, the forward portion of said formation lying in a plane intersectingl the horizontal plane dened by the top outer edge of said lower wall outwardly of the mouth of said jaw, and a wear plate secured on said bottom wall and having at its rear end an arcuate seat for said hanger and at its forward end closure means for said jaw.

12. A brake hanger bracket having an angularly disposed jaw defined by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, a Wear plate secured on said bottom wall, and a loop type hanger seated on said plate in said throat, said bottom wall being disposed at an angle diverging from the horizontal an amount at least equal to the maximum angle said hanger may diverge from the perpendicular under operating conditions, the upper surface of said throat having an arcuate configuration for abutment of the top member of said hanger on upward thrust thereof, the forward-most portion of said configuration lying in a plane forming an acute angle with the Vertical.

13. In a railway car truck, a frame member having a brake hanger bracket with an angularly disposed jaw defined by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, and a loop type brake hanger having its upper member seated in said throat, the top surface of said throat having an area for abutment of said member on upward thrust thereof, the eXtreme forward portion of said surface lying in a plane which forms an acute angle with the plane of said hanger when said brakes are applied, and a wear plate secured on said bottom wall and aording at its rear end an arcuate seat for the top chord of said hanger and at its forward end closure means for said Jaw.

14. A brake hanger bracket having a jaw defined by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, and a hanger seated in said throat, the upper surface of said throat having an area for abutment of said hanger, the extreme forward portion of said area lying in a plane forming an acute angle with the plane of said hanger when the brakes are in applied position, and a wear plate secured to said bottom wall and having at its rear end a seat for said hanger and at its forward end closure means for said jaw;

15. A brake hanger bracket having a jaw dened by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, and a loop hanger seated in said throat, the upper portion of said throat having an area for abutment of said hanger when the brakes are applied to urge said hanger upwardly, the forward portion of said area lying in a plane forming an acute angle with the plane of said hanger when said brakes are in applied position, and a wear plate positioned in said jaw and affording at its rear end a seat for said hanger and at its forward end a closure means for said jaw.

16. A brake hanger bracket having a jaw defined by top and bottom walls merging in a throat, and a loop hanger having a top chord thereof seated in said throat, said throat having in its top portion an area for abutment of said hanger when the brakes are applied to give an upward thrust thereto, the forward portion of said area lying in a plane forming an acute angle with the Vertical, and a wear plate positioned in said jaw and affording at its rear end a seat for said hanger and at its forward end a closure means for said jaw.

DAVID M. LIGHT. 

